The principle of subsidiarity is simple but powerful: decisions should be taken as closely as possible to the people they affect. Higher levels of government should only intervene when objectives cannot be achieved effectively at a more local level.
Although the principle has deep roots in Catholic social teaching and has also become a cornerstone of European governance, it speaks to something far more universal. Communities generally work best when local people have the power to solve local problems.
Nowhere is this more evident than in England’s parish and town councils.
The First Tier of Democracy
Parish councils are the closest elected bodies to local residents. Unlike district, county or combined authorities, councillors often know their communities personally. They understand which footpaths flood, which playground needs attention, where speeding traffic is a problem, and which community groups need support.
This local knowledge allows decisions to be made quickly and with a level of understanding that larger authorities often struggle to match.
Subsidiarity is not simply about devolving power. It is about recognising that local people frequently possess the greatest expertise about their own neighbourhoods.,
Examples of Subsidiarity in Practice
Across England, parish and town councils have demonstrated what can be achieved when responsibility is placed in local hands.
Many councils have taken ownership of libraries threatened with closure, recruiting volunteers and developing them into thriving community hubs.
Others have successfully managed parks, public toilets, village halls and sports facilities after these services were transferred from principal authorities. Rather than declining, many have improved because local residents have a direct stake in their success.
In numerous villages and market towns, parish councils have funded speed reduction schemes, installed community defibrillators, improved footpaths and cycle routes, planted trees, enhanced biodiversity, and supported local festivals that strengthen community identity.
Neighbourhood planning has perhaps become one of the strongest examples of subsidiarity. Communities have prepared neighbourhood plans that shape future development, identify green spaces for protection, and ensure that new housing reflects local needs rather than purely top-down planning decisions.
Real Examples
Several parish and town councils illustrate what effective local governance can achieve.
Long Stratton Town Council in Norfolk has worked closely with residents to shape regeneration and local planning.
Frome Town Council in Somerset has gained national recognition for innovative approaches to community participation, local services and environmental initiatives.
Shrewsbury Town Council manages parks, public spaces, markets and community facilities on a scale that demonstrates how responsibilities can successfully be devolved from larger authorities.
Across the country, hundreds of smaller parish councils quietly maintain village greens, cemeteries, allotments, play areas and local amenities that contribute enormously to residents’ quality of life.
Challenges
Subsidiarity is not without its difficulties.
Parish councils vary greatly in size and resources. Some serve populations of only a few hundred people, relying heavily on volunteers and part-time clerks. Others manage budgets running into millions of pounds.
Greater devolution must therefore be accompanied by appropriate funding, training and support. Passing responsibilities without adequate resources is not subsidiarity—it is simply shifting burdens.
Looking Ahead
As local government continues to evolve, the case for stronger parish and town councils becomes increasingly compelling.
National government often speaks of empowering communities. Parish councils already provide the framework through which that ambition can become reality.
The principle of subsidiarity reminds us that democracy is strongest when citizens are not merely consulted but trusted to make decisions about the places where they live.
Empowering parish councils will not solve every challenge facing local government. But it offers a practical way of making public services more responsive, strengthening civic participation and rebuilding confidence in democratic institutions.
Sometimes, the best decisions are made not in distant offices, but around the table in the local village hall.
